As is well known to those who play it, golf can be a very frustrating game. Although bunkered shots, sidehill lies and missed putts offer extensive frustrations, there is perhaps nothing so frustrating as to lose a golf club during a round. It is not uncommon to see a week-end golfer retracing his play around the course in an attempt to find a club he previously used, but forgot to return to his bag.
For example, it is a practice of many golfers to approach a putting green carrying two clubs in their hands -- one club, to chip or pitch the golf ball to the putting surface with, and the second club, to putt towards the hole with. Frequently, the golfer is so elated with making his putt (or, conversely, so disgusted with missing it) that he temporarily forgets to retrieve the first club used, returning to his golf bag only with his putter. Sometimes, his playing partner remembers that the first club has been left lying near the edge of the putting surface, and points this out to him, but most times, the playing partner is too wrapped up in his own game to take notice of what has happened. Later in the round, perhaps at the next hole, perhaps many holes later, the golfer looks for his chipping or pitching iron, as the case may be, and discovers it missing. All too often, he doesn't discover the loss of the club until he is back at the club house, or until he plays at a later date. Also, occasions have arisen where the golfer might return his club to the wrong bag as, for example, where both his bag and that of his playing partner are on the same electric golf cart. In either event, not only is the loss of the golf club frustrating, it can also be costly, as matched golf sets sell for as high as $300.00 and upwards.